


Temporal Emergency

by Guardian_of_Hope



Series: Time Shenanigans [1]
Category: Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Fix-It, Gen, Time Travel, Tumblr Fic, changing things, rex goes off
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-28
Updated: 2017-05-28
Packaged: 2018-11-05 21:43:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11022189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Guardian_of_Hope/pseuds/Guardian_of_Hope
Summary: Anakin and Captain Rex are in the past.





	1. A Ride To Courscant

**Author's Note:**

> This was intended to be a happy little one-shot all about this first chapter. But NO, Tumblr liked it and wanted more. So there was more. A lot more than originally planned.

“Ow,” Anakin muttered softly.

“Are you alright, sir?”

Anakin glanced up to find Rex sitting up and staring at him.

“I’m fine,” Anakin said.  He pushed himself to his feet and looked around, “What happened?”

“I’m not sure,” Rex said, also standing up.  “We were walking through camp, and then we fell here.”

“Right,” Anakin said, he remembered.  They were discussing the day’s action while heading to the mess for food.  There had been a faint sense of alarm from Ahsoka, and then the Force had twisted into a knot and jerked.  He looked around, this place was oddly familiar.  The buildings were grey and uniform, but there was something about the city, it’s atmosphere, that told him he’d been there before.  It was dark, and there was a sense that it was closer to dawn than evening, and Anakin hoped that meant they’d pass unremarked until they figured out what was happening.

“Sir?”  Rex said.

Anakin glanced at his Captain, “We need to find out where we are.  This is definitely not where we started.”

“Clearly not,” Rex agreed.

Anakin slid off his robe and held it out to Rex, “Put that on, people will notice your face, but with the armor covered, they…”

“Might not realize what I am,” Rex said.

Anakin left him to the task, moving down the alley to where he could see the main street.  It was mostly deserted, so Anakin stepped out casually, hand palming his lightsaber to keep the metal from reflecting light and drawing attention.  They were at Treasure Ship Row in Corellia.

“I know where we are,” Anakin said, remembering a mission or two with Obi-Wan before the war, “this is Corellia.”  He glanced around at Rex, “But something doesn’t feel right.”

“What do you mean?”  Rex asked.

Anakin glanced out, then lashed out, hauling Rex backward, “Get back and quiet,” he breathed.

Rex followed, making sure the robe he wore was covering all the white on his armor.

Two hooded figures walked past, stopping almost directly in front of them as Anakin eased behind a trash compactor, Rex a warm figure at his back.

“Master, are you sure this is where he said to meet him?”

The shorter of the pair pushed his hood back, revealing light hair that shown green and blue from the signs of the two buildings. 

“I’m quite sure, Anakin.  Might I remind you that you promised _not_ to complain about how early it was?”

“I’m deeply sorry, Master,” the taller figure said, also pushing his hood down.

Anakin felt Rex’s breath catch at the younger looking Anakin Skywalker, and reached back to tangle his hand on Rex’s hand to reassure him.

“Now,” Obi-Wan said, “there is the _Dancing Twi’lek,_ which is where our contact works.  Mind your manners, Anakin, or we won’t learn what we need to know.”

“Yes Master,” Anakin said.

The pair raised their hoods and moved on.

Anakin hesitated a moment, he _remembered_ this mission, and he knew why this alley was familiar.  “We need to move,” he told Rex, “now.  Freak out later.”

“Right,” Rex said softly.

They moved further into the alley to where it reached a smaller backroad.  Anakin considered it for a moment, then led Rex to the left, aiming for the space port.

“Sir, that was you,” Rex said after they’d gone about three blocks.

“Yes,” Anakin said.  “I was seventeen, and I’m about to shot for the first time in my life.”

“Shot?”  Rex said.  “Shouldn’t we do something?”

“I don’t think so,” Anakin said, “I think we’re better off getting out of Corellian space.”

“Why is that, sir?”  Rex asked.

“Because I know who shot me,” Anakin said.  “And I think we’re best getting as far from those two as possible.”

“If you say so sir,” Rex said.  “Where will we go?”

“At the moment, all I can think is Coruscant,” Anakin replied after a moment, “if we’ve truly time traveled, surely there must be something the Council will know.”

“As you say,” Rex said after a moment.

They moved to the space port and Anakin found them a place where they could see the different ships available to them.  After a long moment, Rex whistled and pointed.

Anakin looked in the birth Rex indicated, “I do not believe it.”

“That’s,” Rex said.

“It sure is,” Anakin said.  “Let’s get closer, I want to make sure.”

They slipped across the roof of the space port, carefully keeping their movements subtle until they were standing over their chosen ship.

“So,” Rex said.

“Should we?”  Anakin asked.

“We should,” Rex said.

Anakin reached out, but could find no observers before they slipped down and approached the ship.  Rex went up the ramp first, with Anakin a cautious shadow.  It was surprisingly easy to hack the ship, Rex sliding fingers over the controls to bring up the engines before handing control over to Anakin while he had a chat with the Corellian Space Control.

They were off planet within an hour of their arrival, and heading for hyperspace when the comm chimed.

“Shit,” Anakin muttered.

“May I?”  Rex asked softly.

“Go ahead,” Anakin said.

The hologram that appeared over the comm unit was none other than Jango Fett.

“I’m not sure who you think you are,” Fett began.

Rex shifted so that his face was clear, “I’m sorry, Fett.  My _Jetii_ and I are having a temporal emergency.  We have to get to Coruscant as soon as possible.”

“YOU,” Fett said.

“One of millions,” Rex agreed.

“What’s your designation?”  Fett demanded.

“I’m afraid I can’t tell you that,” Rex said.

“Why is that?”  Fett asked.

The comm cut off as Anakin shot them into hyperspace.  He started laughing as soon as the computer confirmed they were away.


	2. The Jedi Council

Pre-war Coruscant was open in a way that made Anakin’s heart clench.  He remembered how carefully traffic was managed, how if you didn’t fly in _this_ lane, or along _that_ flight plan, you could be detained or even destroyed, and not even Jedi IFFs were exempt.  Now, flying casually along a flight plan to the Jedi Temple with only a minimal conversation with traffic control and the Temple’s landing crew, on a not quite lie, Anakin wanted to tell them how ridiculously easy it would be for someone to get into the Temple.

Behind him, Rex was dressed in an outfit he’d found in Jango’s gear, the tan shirt and brown pants making him look even more like the Fett than normal.

“How are we going to do this, sir?”  Rex asked.

Anakin rested his hands on the control, mindful of traffic, “We will go straight to the Council when we land.”

“Sir, you’ve never struck me as someone with a great deal of faith in the Council,” Rex said after a long moment, “If you’ll pardon my presumption.”

Anakin sighed, “Maybe I’m just hoping that this time, they’ll live up to my expectations.”

“Sir?”  Rex asked.

“Never mind Rex,” Anakin said, “it’s just that they might be our best bet for fixing this.”  He didn’t need to give Rex his issues with the Council.  There had to be trust somewhere, and Anakin’s trust in the Council wasn’t as strong as it should be.  He figured it had something to do with ten years of being the Order’s disappointment.

They landed on one of the few public pads of the Temple and Anakin sighed at the sight of Knights coming forward as the ship was recognized.  He slid his robe on, but left the hood down.  This was going to be interesting.  With a nod to Rex, they headed down to the ramp, and into the scrutiny of the Jedi Knights.

Thankfully, their leader was a Knight Anakin knew.  “Knight Kaffa,” he said.

“Padawan Skywalker?”  Kaffa said, looking startled.

Anakin held back a sigh, “There’s been an emergency, we need to speak to the Council immediately.”

“Is that, he’s Jango Fett,” Kaffa said.

“No, this is Rex,” Anakin said, “it’s a long story, _for the Council._ ”

“But if Jango shows up and wants his ship back, he can have it,” Rex interjected.  “We only borrowed it.”

Anakin wasn’t the only one who realized that Rex’s stoic face hid a mischievous glee that was more in line with his physical age than his mental one.

“He’s right,” Anakin said, “and Fett might be coming in… upset.  But the Council, if you would.”

“Of course, Padawan,” Kaffa said.

The Council had been in session when Anakin and Rex arrived at the door, but they were quickly granted entrance.  Anakin scanned the Council as they entered, feeling oddly relieved that Master Yoda and Master Windu weren’t in the room.

“Padawan Skywalker,” Master Mundi said, “your return from Corellia is unexpected.  Where is Knight Kenobi”

Skywalker bowed slightly, “Master Obi-Wan remains on Corellia, with his Padawan.”  He straightened, letting them see him clearly.  “I am Anakin Skywalker, and this is Captain Rex.  We’re having a,” he hesitated. “A temporal emergency.”

“A temporal emergency,” Master Mundi asked.

“Yes Master,” Anakin said, forcing himself not to look at Rex for assurance, “Two days ago, I was on a mission with the Captain when the Force… became disturbed.  When the disturbance ended, we were standing in an alley on Corellia, watching Master Obi-Wan and Padawan Skywalker head into a club called the Dancing Twi’lek.  I remember that mission, although it was four, almost five years ago for me.  We, acquired, a ship and returned to the Temple immediately.”

“Is this an appropriate time to point out that the Fett’s going to want his ship back, sir?”  Rex asked softly.

“Probably,” Anakin replied.

“Fett, as in Jango Fett,” Master Mundi demanded.

“Yes Master,” Anakin said.

There was a moment when the room became filled with tension, and a hint of frustration, but as Anakin shifted nervously, the tension faded away as various council members released their feelings into the Force.  For a brief moment, Anakin envied them the ease of that action.

“Are you saying you stole Jango Fett’s ship?”  Master Billaba asked.

“Well,” Anakin, “technically we borrowed it.  We’re willing to give it back after all.”

“He might want to shoot me though,” Rex mused thoughtfully.

“He doesn’t know who you are,” Anakin said.

“Wouldn’t stop him,” Rex replied pointedly.

“Padawan Skywalker,” Master Mundi said.

“Knight,” Anakin said softly.  “It’s Knight Skywalker.”

“Knight Skywalker, are you aware that your companion resembles,” Master Mundi trailed off because Rex had snorted and Anakin had ducked his head to hide his smile.

“Master Mundi, I know exactly who my companion looks like,” Anakin managed after a moment.  “I know why, too.”

“I’m not sure that’s information we should have,” Master Koon interjected, “after all, we could change the time line.”

“Masters, the thing I’m most interested in is getting back,” Anakin said finally, “I left my Padawan in an unstable situation, and while I trust Rex’s men, she’s still _my_ Padawan.”  He reflected on those moments, the flash of alarm from Ahsoka.

“We will need to know where you were,” Master Mundi said, “see if there are any clues.”

Anakin slid his hand out slightly, not wanting Rex to share his opinion of the planet they’d been on.  As much as he might agree to Rex’s assessment, that was not the place to let Rex be creative.

“We were on Alsaiir,” Anakin said, “handling some issues.  We’d set up camp and Rex and I were discussing what we’d done that day on our way to dinner when it happened.”

“We will have to do some research,” Master Mundi said, “but I am sure we will see you returned soon enough.”

“Thank you,” Anakin said with a bow.

“In the meantime, if you were on your way to a meal, we should see you fed and quartered.”  Master Mundi said, “And we’ll inform Knight Kenobi.”

“I wouldn’t, Master,” Anakin said, “as I said, I remember that particular mission.  Master Obi-Wan and his Padawan will have their hands full without having to worry about us.”

“Didn’t you say you got shot,” Rex asked.

“It was a graze,” Anakin replied, “a learning experience.”

“A learning experience?”  Master Billaba asked.

“Yes Master,” Anakin said, “I learned the value of listening when Master Obi-Wan told me to get my back to the wall.”

“Is that when you got your scar?”  Master Billaba pressed.

“Ah no,” Anakin said, forcing himself not to touch his face even as his face heated up, “I’m not sure it ever scarred.”  If it did, he’d never checked in the mirror to see.  Getting it bandaged at that clinic had been bad, but having Obi-Wan help him bandage the difficult to reach spot had been a thousand times worse.  Obi-Wan had said once it would keep him humble to remember that.

“Why don’t you come down to the commissary with me,” Master Billaba said.

“I will begin research to see what I might find,” Master Koon offered.


	3. Meditate on THAT

General Windu came back to the Temple the day before General Skywalker, General Koon, and Rex were supposed to go to Alsaiir.  He summoned General Skywalker to a meeting that had Skywalker vanishing in the direction of the practice rooms, and left Rex more determined than ever to do his job; protect his General.

He wore Fett’s clothes to the meeting, agreeing with General Skywalker that the Jedi didn’t need more questions than they already had.  But Rex wondered if he hadn’t done better in his armor when he saw the look on General Windu’s face when he saw him.

“You are aware of the similarities between you and the bounty hunter Jango Fett,” General Windu asked.

“Yes sir,” Rex said, holding himself at attention, using ingrained habits to keep his thoughts from his face.

General Windu studied him for a long moment.  “You helped Skywalker steal _Slave I_ from Fett.  Why?”

Rex considered, “I… encouraged him in borrowing the ship, yes sir.  I felt it was poetic justice.  I already stole his face.”

Skywalker was right, you could see the moment the vein in General Windu’s forehead began to throb.  Rex considered his options, but figured discretion was the better part of valor, as General Kenobi was fond of saying.

“You stole a ship,” General Windu muttered.

“We prefer the term borrowed, sir,” Rex dared to say, “after all, we gave it back when Fett got here.  We even refueled it for him.”

General Windu turned away, pacing across the empty council chamber to stare at the windows for a moment.  Then he turned back around, “And where, Captain Rex, do you come from, exactly?”

Rex lifted his chin slightly, drawing his posture up as close to text book as he could manage.  “With all due respect, sir, I decline to answer that question.”

“On what grounds?”  General Windu asked, starting across the room.

“Firstly, that you might interfere to separate me from my _Jetii,_ ” Rex replied, “and secondly, because I don’t answer to you.”

General Windu stared at him for a long moment as Rex realized he _wanted_ to speak his mind, to say something to this man, a future General, but technically not one just yet.

“Is there anything you would tell me,” General Windu finally asked.

“Permission to speak freely?”  Rex asked, unable to believe he was doing this.  Cody was going to yell at him when he found out.  _General Kenobi_ was going to shoot him.

“Granted,” General Windu finally said.

“Sir, when I was in training, there were times the trainers wanted to have certain of my _vod_ removed from the ranks, but they couldn’t justify it.  So, they’d push the _vod_ in question to quit.  Never said a kind word to them, never acknowledged their accomplishments, never admitted they did anything right.  We all faced that to an extent, but there was an extra venom directed towards those _vod._   The two worst things the trainers ever did, however, first would be when they hauled another _vod_ into a so-called private assessment and spend the time belittling the despised _vod_ and trying to make their victim agree.  Second would be to bring in a so-called favored _vod_ with the despised _vod_ and to reprimand the despised _vod_ by comparing them to the favored one.”

Rex took an unsteady breath.

“My vod’e and I, we were raised to have a certain regard for the Jedi.  We told each other that when training was done, and we went out, when we met the Jedi, they would be better than the trainers.  The Jedi Code was important to us because that was what it promised.  The first Jedi we ever worked with, pardon my language, but he was an asshole.  He couldn’t work with us.  Then Com- Knight Skywalker showed up and took over.  And he was exactly what we’d thought we get.  Compassion in spades, a leader, a bit crazy, but we’re genetically inclined to mayhem so that goes well together.  Then I came along to a meeting between Skywalker, Kenobi, and you.  It was just like being there when a trainer was dressing down a vod he hated, except with the trainer at least you knew for sure.  I was raised with the idea that the Jedi were above that sort of thing, that their Code precluded that sort of thing.  Sir, it’s the Jedi like you that makes me wonder what’s the point, why have the Code at all, if so many of you are going to ignore it?”

“Who do you think you are?”  Windu asked finally.

“My name is Rex, I’m a Captain with the 501st.  My job is to protect Gen- Knight Skywalker and his Padawan.  Mostly that means taking a hit or making the shot, but sometimes, it’s speaking up for one of the best damn men I’ve ever met.  Something you appear to be too blind to see, maybe you should meditate on _that_.”


	4. My One Regret

“What did you say to Master Windu?”  Anakin asked Rex as they cleared out the guest suite they’d used.

“I’m sorry sir?”  Rex asked, eyes slightly too wide for genuine innocence.

“He came up and asked me if there was anything I should be aware of during the Corellian mission,” Anakin said, “because he didn’t want to react without thought if we had hand another of our usual missions.  He was _nice._   It was… _weird._ ”

Rex raised shrugged his shoulders, “I don’t know what’s going on with him, sir.  I just answered his questions.”  He went back to packing his armor into the crate they’d been given.

Anakin considered it for a moment as he folded and stacked the clothes he’d been given to wear.  “I just wish whatever you didn’t say, you wouldn’t say to Master Yoda.”

He heard Rex pause for a moment and realized he’d spoken loud enough for his Captain to hear.

Whatever Rex would have said or done was interrupted by the chime of the door alert.  Anakin set down a pair of pants and went to open the door.

“Master Koon,” Anakin said, moving to let the Councilmember enter.

“Knight Skywalker,” Master Koon said as he walked past Anakin, “Captain Rex.  Are we ready to go then?”

“Just finishing the last of it,” Anakin replied as he went back to folding the pants.

“Hopefully we will find a way to send you back quickly,” Master Koon said.

Finished packing, Anakin turned to Master Koon, “Was there something you needed, sir?”

Master Koon inclined his head slightly, “I find myself wondering about the future, but that is not for you to answer.”

“Ask,” Anakin offered, “I might know the answer.”

“There is a youngling in the creche,” Master Koon began.

Anakin smiled a little, “I don’t know if this will ease your mind Master, but you speak of Ahsoka Tano, right?”

“I do,” Master Koon said.

“She’s my Padawan,” Anakin said.  “Everyone says we’re good for each other, which is something.  It wasn’t, we didn’t decide, Master Yoda did.”  He looked up at Master Koon, “And if you think that means I’d give her up, then you have another thing coming.  Snips is my Padawan.”

“Is that so?”  Master Koon said.

“They’ll scream at each other as soon as they see each other, but they challenge each other too,” Rex interjected, “Took a bit to get used to, having a Com- a Padawan around, but I dare say that Skywalker and Tano will be right up there with Kenobi and Skywalker when it’s all over, or so I’ve been told.”

“Who told you that?”  Anakin asked, hoping he wasn’t blushing at the unexpected compliment.

“General Kenobi,” Rex said.

Anakin wasn’t sure if he was surprised, pleased, or embarrassed at the implications of Obi-Wan’s words, although a tiny part of him was frustrated that Obi-Wan had never told _him_ something like that.  It was another bone of contention between them, Obi-Wan would praise him to the stars, but only when Anakin couldn’t hear it.

“Thank you,” Plo Koon said, “I’m aware she is energetic.”

“She keeps up with me,” Anakin said.

“And she sometimes has strong opinions.”  Plo Koon added.

“Keeps things interesting,” Rex said.

Plo Koon chuckled, “You both clearly care for her, that is good.  Captain Rex, I will help you take your things to our ship.”

Anakin reached for a couple of datapads he’d borrowed, “I need to take these back to the Archives.  I’ll meet you at the landing pad.”

“South four,” Plo Koon told him.  “Master Mundi and Knight Vos will meet us there.”

Anakin glanced at Rex, who nodded slightly.  In this time and place, Vos wouldn’t have had his issues with the clones, Rex would be able to handle the outgoing Kiffar, and Mundi liked Rex, he wouldn’t let Vos go too far.

Anakin made his way discretely down to the Archives, leaving the datapads on the front desk instead of catching anyone’s attention.  As he left the Archive, he picked up his pace, not wanting to have anybody waiting for him, and crashed straight into someone coming out of a cross corridor, sending them both to the ground.

Anakin freed himself from his cloak and looked up to find himself face to face with Obi-Wan.

“Anakin?”  Obi-Wan demanded.

“Kind of?”  Anakin said, moving away from Obi-Wan to stand up.

“Aren’t you supposed to be in the infirmary?”  Obi-Wan asked, also standing up.

“Padawan Anakin is in the infirmary,” Anakin said, thinking back, “I didn’t manage to bust out until after supper.”

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan said in that exasperated way he had.

Anakin rubbed the back of his neck and sighed, “So I’m from the future, about four years give or take.  Master Koon and Master Mundi and I are about to leave to go back to where I was when it happened to look for clues.”

“The future,” Obi-Wan said.

“Yup,” Anakin nodded.  “You can ask Master Billaba all about it.”  He tugged the hem of his tunic, and then said, “I don’t care what you believe right now, but when Padawan Anakin tells you about his dreams about his mother, _do something._   Take him to Tatooine.”

“What?”  Obi-Wan said.

“Seriously Master,” Anakin said, “when I start dreaming about my mother, and she’s in pain, take me to Tatooine immediately.”

After a long moment of studying him, Obi-Wan sighed, “Why?”

“Because when I got to Tatooine, I was too late,” Anakin said softly, letting his regret show, “and I did something I shouldn’t have, that I have to live with.  Of all the things I’ve done that I regret, this is the one I’m begging you to change.  Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a flight to catch.”  Anakin moved around Obi-Wan, lengthening his stride to a near run when Obi-Wan said his name again.


	5. Flight Talk

The trip to Alsaiir was interesting.  Anakin kept an eye on Rex and Vos, not wanting to leave his captain alone with the other Jedi.  He wasn’t subtle about it, even with Rex sending him signs that he was fine and to stand down.  Finally, Vos cornered _him_ in the ship’s narrow passage between the lounge and the ‘fresher.

“Do you have a problem with me?”  Vos asked.

Anakin blinked, surprised at the blunt statement.  “Well,” he said, “I like you but, um.”

“But I did something,” Vos said.

“I didn’t get the full story,” Anakin admitted, “but what I heard, you weren’t happy about Rex and his brothers and were very, um, vocal about it.”

“Vocal,” Vos said, dryly.

“Look, am I protective of Rex, yes, because he doesn’t need to hear you say those things again,” Anakin said, “if that means I’m hovering around every time the two of you are in the same room, then _that’s what I’ll do._   He, none of them, deserve to hear that.”  He slid past Vos and started way.

“Skywalker,” Vos said.

Anakin stopped, but didn’t turn back.

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Vos said.

“Just, wait,” Anakin said, “wait until you hear the full story about them before you go off, okay?  I don’t know if it will change your opinion or not, but it might make things clearer.”

“I’ll do that,” Vos said.

Anakin knew he’d now be spending his time trying to figure out Rex’s secret, but Rex had his armor on and Anakin had long since developed a habit of handling things with his gloved hand.  Poor Rex, Anakin thought as he reentered the lounge, he was quietly disturbed about the thought of protecting _four_ Generals on his own.  Intellectually, Anakin knew Rex knew there was no open conflict, but they were both waiting for comments about Sep movements or mission briefings, and Anakin figured of Rex was less twitchy being in full armor, he wasn’t going to stop him.

It made Anakin feel less weird about wearing his own uniform instead of the clothes given to him by the Temple.

The trip wasn’t so long that they would regret the necessary limited bunk space, but after a brief traffic jam over the refresher happened, Anakin wondered if they’d been better off taken a larger ship just for a second refresher.  Or, he thought, watching Master Koon prepare one of the liquid meals he could eat without taking off his mask, at least room enough for a second atmosphere so that Master Koon could have some space without having to wear his mask.

“So, Skywalker,” Vos said, sliding beside him at the table.

“Yes, Master Vos,” Anakin replied, then winced, “Sorry, Knight Vos.”

“Eh, don’t worry about it,” Vos said, waving his empty fork.  “I was just wondering about Ayala.”

“What about her?”  Anakin asked.

“Well, what’s she like, what’s she doing, did she ever figure out the whole thing her love life?”  Vos replied.

“Ah,” Anakin hesitated, “The last, I don’t know.  I know she’s doing well, though.  We saw her a few weeks ago, pulled me and my Padawan out of a bad situation.  I’d say she’s doing about as well as can be expected.”  He glanced over at Rex.

“No clue on the General’s love life,” Rex said as he took his own seat, “but Commander Bly thinks the world of her.  If she weren’t his _Jetii_ , I’d have said besotted, but that’s just me.”

“Commander Bly?”  Vos asked.

“One of my brothers,” Rex said, “good man, solid commander, but not as imaginative as some.  Never would make it with some of the other _Jetii._ ”

“Oh?”  Master Mundi asked.

“You’re just sore because I pushed you off that wall,” Anakin told Rex.  “It’s not like you were hurt.”

“I would have jumped,” Rex insisted, eyes narrowing.

“But would you have been fast enough?”  Anakin asked, “We were operating on a time constraint.”

“What wall?”  Vos asked.

“It was a blockade wall,” Rex said, “we had to go through it to get to our landing zone after we were shot down.  To blow it up, we had to get to the top of it.”

“We?  I’m pretty sure you weren’t supposed to be up there,” Anakin interrupted, “My Padawan and I were capable of handling it and getting out of the way afterwards.”

“So, I should apologize for watching your back then?”  Rex asked.

“No,” Anakin replied, unsure of what else he could say.

The hyperdrive alert went off and Anakin ducked under the table and around Vos’s legs to go deal with it.  They were arriving at Alsaiir.  It was time to figure out what had happened to them.


	6. Alsaiir

Their camp had been located on the northern half of the planet in an easy to defend box canyon.  Looking at the area without the scars of battle, Anakin was reminded as to why, exactly, he hated the war.  This was a beautiful place, with mountains that scraped the sky and lush greenery.  It was on the same range as the enclave General Saje and the 425th had visited the year before, but on the far side of the range and further north.

Rex was pacing out the camp, muttering, while Koon, Mundi, and Vos looked around.

“Captain,” Anakin said as he walked over.

“The mess would have been there,” Rex pointed, “and Command was under that ledge there.”

“So, we were here,” Anakin said, glancing around, trying to remember the camp.  He pointed up the canyon, “Ahsoka was up there with Fives and Echo.  They were checking out another overhang to use as a supply cache.”  He bit his lip, those moments running through his head again, “She was alarmed by something.  I remember feeling it, and then the Force yanked us away.”

“You’re sure that’s where she was?”  Rex asked.

“Very sure,” Anakin replied.

“Then let’s go,” Rex said as he adjusted his grip on one of his DC-17s.

They strode across the canyon, synched in the way that a thousand battles had taught them.  Anakin was aware, more aware, that the other Jedi had noticed them, but no one said anything.  Vos was just behind them when they reached the overhang Ahsoka had been under, with Koon and Mundi not too far behind.

“It’s a cave,” Rex said.

Anakin pulled and ignited his lightsaber, “Something in here startled Ahsoka, there has to be a clue.”

“Right behind you,” Rex said, palming his other blaster.

They stepped inside, Anakin’s green blade catching and lighting up the walls, matched by Vos’s green blade behind them.  The cave was narrow at first, but as they walked, it widened into a full cavern.  Anakin lifted his lightsaber, staring at the size of the room, and its height.

“This should be where we keep the wounded,” Rex announced as he looked around, “looks dry, under cover.  Kix would be pleased there’s an actual floor to build off.”

“Yeah, maybe,” Anakin said.

There was something on the far side of the room that caught the ‘saber light.  He squinted, trying to make it out.

A hand gripped his arm and Anakin blinked.

“What?” He asked, confused.

Quinlan pulled him back, “Don’t look, you weren’t responding.”

“What?”  Anakin asked.

“Something was flashing over there,” Rex said, “it pulled you in.”

“Oh,” Anakin said, wanting to look again.

“It didn’t catch me,” Rex said, “I’ll go look.”

“Be careful,” Quinlan said as Koon and Mundi entered the room.

“Trouble?”  Koon asked.

“Something over there tried to trance Kenobi,” Quinlan said.  “The Captain’s taking a look.”

“I saw,” Rex announced, “I think I found what Ahsoka found.  It’s a statute.”

“Don’t,” Koon began to say.

The Force jumped and shifted sideways, and the room changed.  A trooper, Echo, with his handprint, stood just in front of him, blaster half raised.

“Sir?”  Echo began.

Anakin blinked, and fell, as his knees gave out on him.

“Master Anakin!” Snips called, and Anakin’s sense of reality skewed even more.  Ahsoka didn’t call him that when it was just the men.

“Captain.”

Anakin brought his hand up to his head and stopped, staring.  Then down at his other hand.

Firm hands grabbed his shoulders as Ahsoka barreled into him, almost knocking over, “Are you okay?”

Anakin leaned back into her, “I really don’t think so, Snips.”

“Snips?” Ahsoka said, leaning back, “Who’s Snips, I’m Ahsoka.”

“What, but I’ve always called you Snips,” Anakin said.

“Uh, no,” Ahsoka said, “you’ve never called me Snips.”

“Captain,” Anakin called, hoping for one normal thing.

“Yeah, I’m here,” Rex called back.  “What happened?”

“Hell if I know,” Anakin said.  He stopped, “Please tell me you didn’t touch the statue.”

“Well, I could lie,” Rex said, and Anakin groaned.

“What are you talking about Master?”  Ahsoka asked, “And how did you get in here?  You and Rex were setting up camp with Master Vos.”

“ _Vos_ is here?”  Anakin said, confused.

Ahsoka nodded, “He came in with the 670th to provide support in the battle, don’t you remember, what happened?”

Anakin considered it for a moment, “I think I really need to talk to Vos, right now.”

“I’ll radio him,” Fives offered and vanished.

Anakin looked around.  Echo was standing by the cave entrance, looking so, so confused, and Ahsoka had shifted until she was kneeling in front of him.  Anakin pulled himself up a bit, and looked over to find Rex as heading back towards him.

“Help me up,” Anakin decided as Rex came within reach.

Rex reached over and helped him up, “Are you all right, sir?”

“I’d be a lot better if the Force would stop yanking me around,” Anakin muttered as he brushed himself off, momentarily distracted by his hands, again.  There was something wrong there, something he couldn’t see through the black leather, and he wondered if the bionic hand was working right in the first place.  He’d have to check on that.

Quick footsteps led to the appearance of a worried looking Vos, “General Skywalker.”

“General Vos,” Anakin said, “I, um, this is going to sound strange, but.”

Vos’s face lit up, “Back with us, hmmm?  And very confused, I’d imagine.”

“Well yes,” Anakin said, ignoring Ahsoka’s incredulous _back?_

“From what we could tell afterwards, Rex picked up a Force artifact,” Vos said, “one that we suspected your Ahsoka picked up.”

“We changed things, didn’t we?”  Anakin said.

“Between the good Captain giving Master Windu a piece of his mind,” Vos said, and Anakin glared at his Captain.  “Ah, don’t do that, you told Kenobi about your mother too.”

“Mother?”  Anakin said, “She’s?”

“You and Obi-Wan diverted from Ansion when your dreams became violent,” Vos said, “she was bruised, and bleeding a bit, but fine.  Your delay, however, led to Aayla and I providing protection for Senator Amidala.”

“Padme?”  Anakin repeated, wondering if he’d lost his wife in whatever this mess was.

“You escorted her to the Lake Country,” Vos said, “Aayla and I were on the trail of Jango Fett, and Obi-Wan had to get his leg healed.”

“He’s okay?”  Anakin demanded.

Vos waved his hand, “Grazed by a couple of blaster bolts, nothing serious.  He joined the fight on Geonosis with us too.  I take it you had things differently?”

“Obi-Wan went to Kamino,” Anakin said, “I took Padme, Senator Amidala, to the Lake Country.  We ended up on Geonosis, rescuing Obi-Wan.”

“Well,” Vos tilted his head, “that didn’t happen this time.”

Anakin looked at his hands, and ripped the gloves off.

It wasn’t a mechanical failure.  He had two flesh hands.

“Things have changed,” he said, staring at his hands in awe.

Suddenly he wanted to understand how everything had changed.


End file.
